Jury Convicts Riverview Man For COVID Relief Fraud

Summary

A press release of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Florida dated Monday, March 18, 2024, announcing that a federal jury found Alexander Alli, 39, of Riverview, guilty of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and two counts of wire fraud. It states that he faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each count, that sentencing is scheduled for June 10, 2024, and that he was indicted on January 18, 2023. According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, he submitted an Economic Injury Disaster Loan application representing that his business was suffering injury from the Covid-19 pandemic, although it had ceased operations before the pandemic began. The release states that the SBA approved and funded a total of $82,500, which he spent on non-business-related purposes.

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Full text

Press Release

Jury Convicts Riverview Man For COVID Relief Fraud

Monday, March 18, 2024

For Immediate Release

U.S. Attorney's Office, Middle District of Florida

Tampa, FL –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Alexander Alli (39, Riverview) guilty of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and two counts of wire fraud. Alli faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison on each count. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 10, 2024. Alli was indicted on January 18, 2023.

According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Alli submitted a fraudulent Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) application to the Small Business Administration (SBA). Alli falsely represented that he had a business suffering injury due to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and the EIDL funds would be used only for business-related purposes. Alli’s business, however, had ceased operations prior to the start of the pandemic and was no longer operational at the time his EIDL application was submitted. Alli’s false and fraudulent representations caused the SBA to approve and fund a total of $82,500 in EIDL funds, which he spent on non-business-related purposes.

In May 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The task force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer Peresie and Merrilyn Hoenemeyer.

Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

Updated March 19, 2024

Topics

Coronavirus

Disaster Fraud

Financial Fraud

Component

USAO - Florida, Middle

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